Not Applicable.
This invention pertains to the manual handling of bulky packages and provides a grasping tool or clamp which is detachably mountable to a box to be carried by the user.
Frequently, a package handler confronts a large cardboard box or other package, which, though not being too heavy to carry, is difficult to handle due to its size. In addition, persons wishing to carry smaller boxes must employ both hands to carry such packages unless such a package is of small enough dimension to be grasped between the thumb and remaining fingers of one hand. A need exists for a device which may be temporarily fixed to a box or other package which permits it to be easily attached and detached and which permits the box to be lifted with only one hand. In addition, a device is needed which affords a tool to temporarily grasp any corner of a box or multiple corners simultaneously to make transport of such a large box a simple task.
A grasping tool for a corner of a box or carton to be transported allows temporary attachment of the grasping tool to the box or carton by use of a single hand of the user. A pair of plates is joined at a hinge element which is spring loaded to cause the plates to return to a rest position. A lever/handle is fixed to each plate such that the lever/handles may be manually moved one toward the other to force the plates to separate about the hinge axis against the load of the spring of the hinge.
Each plate has an inner face which when the grasping tool is at rest, opposes the inner face of the other plate. The inner faces of each plate include tangs or projections which will penetrate the outer skin of a carton to which the grasping tool is to be temporarily fixed. The user may force the plates of the grasping tool into an oblique separation between them such that one inner face of the grasping tool opposes a first sidewall of the carton while the inner face of the other plate opposes a second sidewall of the carton which is perpendicular to the first sidewall and adjacent thereto. The user having positioned the grasping tool at a corner of the carton, may allow the grasping tool to close to engage the adjacent orthogonal sidewalls of the carton with the tangs of the inner faces of the grasping tool slightly penetrating the outer skin of the carton. The user may then grasp a single one of the lever/handles to lift the carton. The user may later easily remove the grasping tool by forcing together the respective lever/handles extending from the plates to separate the plates and release the grasping tool from the carton.
It is an object of the invention to provide an easily attachable grasping tool for grasping a carton or box at a corner thereof.
It is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive hand tool which may be used alone or in pairs to assist in the handling of cardboard boxes or cartons or other packages having generally soft or penetrable sidewalls.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hand tool which reduces the likelihood of injury to a user lifting cartons, boxes and other large objects.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a useful hand tool which may be operated with one hand to effectively grasp a carton and to be disconnected from the carton by use of a single hand of the user.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from examination of the description and claims which follow.